Empathy Outshines Confidence in Youth Mentoring

Deane, K. L., Boat, A. A., Haddock, S. A., Henry, K. L., Zimmerman, T. S., & Weiler, L. M. (2022). The Comparative Roles of Mentor Self-Efficacy and Empathy in Fostering Relationship Quality with Youth. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 51(5), 805–819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-022-01584-7

Introduction

Youth mentoring relationships are central to program success, yet prior discourse have not clarified which mentor traits most strongly shape mentorship effectiveness. Deane and colleagues (2022) addressed this gap by comparing mentor self-efficacy (confidence in mentoring skills) and empathy (capacity to understand mentees’ perspectives) in predicting relationship quality.

Methods

The authors examined 664 mentor–mentee pairs from Campus Connections, a U.S.-based university service-learning program. Mentors were college students with an average age of 24 years old and mentees were youth (average age 14.1, with at least 1 risk factor). Survey data were collected at multiple points during the 12-week program, with Weeks 6 and 11 measures used in the current study. Using structural equation modeling, the authors tested how mentor self-efficacy and empathy predicted both mentor- and youth-reported relationship quality.

Results

Findings showed empathy consistently predicted both mentors’ and youths’ perceptions of relationship quality, particularly by program’s end. Self-efficacy predicted only mentors’ own perceptions, not mentees’. Contrary to expectations, empathy and self-efficacy did not significantly reinforce one another over time.

Discussion

The study demonstrates empathy as a stronger and more reliable predictor of high-quality mentor–youth bonds than self-efficacy. While confidence enhances mentors’ own sense of success, empathy directly shapes mentees’ trust and willingness to disclose.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

Programs should prioritize empathy training—through role-play, reflective listening, and attunement strategies—to strengthen relational bonds. Supporting mentors’ self-efficacy remains important for sustaining engagement, but empathy training offers the most immediate benefits for relationship quality.

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